my father called me too soft.

as though it were an insult.

as though I didn’t fight nail, tooth and claw

to maintain that softness.

as though I didn’t raise a hell of armies

to guard my beating, bleeding heart.

my father called me too soft.

as though it were a weakness.

a deficiency.

a lack of action.

an inability to be forceful and brutal.

as though it didn’t take every ounce of strength

to maintain my humanity.

my father called me too soft.

as though it weren’t a deliberate rebellion

against his attempts at turning me hard.

— cx.

end.